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An accidental USB drive throwaway cost a British woman and her partner $3.8 million in Bitcoin!
- HappyNass
- Apr 3
- 2 min read
A British woman accidentally threw away her USB drive during a routine cleaning routine, causing her and her partner to lose a Bitcoin fortune worth $3.8 million!
A 34-year-old British teacher caused her and her partner to lose a massive Bitcoin fortune estimated at $3.8 million after she accidentally threw away a USB drive during a routine cleaning routine.
While cleaning her house, Ellie Hart threw the drive, which contained the digital key to her and her partner's Bitcoin wallets, in the trash, believing it to be just an old, worthless piece of electronics. Speaking about that moment, she said, "The unit was in a drawer full of junk, like dead batteries and old receipts, so I thought it was unnecessary and threw it away."
But it quickly turned into a financial disaster when Tom, a 36-year-old web developer, asked her where the "small black USB stick" he used to store his Bitcoin was. Ellie recalls the fatal moment, saying, "I felt immediately sick when I realized what I'd done. I froze and said, 'I think I've thrown it away.'"
In an attempt to salvage the situation, Tom and Ellie began rummaging through rubbish bags, tearing them apart one by one, but to no avail. Ellie explained, "There was a mixture of panic and hope, but deep down I knew it was too late." Describing the tragedy, she said, "Tom was incredibly understanding. He didn't yell or blame me, but his silence spoke louder than words. We were planning a bright future—a new house, trips, everything—but I threw it all away." She added, "This is the worst mistake of my life."
Ellie offered important advice to anyone who keeps digital assets: "If you have any money on a USB drive, clearly label it. Keep it safe. Don't make the same mistake I did."
A spokesperson for Play Casino, a website specializing in cryptocurrency culture, commented: "This story reminds us that digital wealth can be lost in a moment of carelessness. Storage devices containing cryptocurrency should always be clearly labeled and kept safe, away from any danger."
Experts advise Bitcoin owners to use "cold storage," an offline wallet, to ensure their funds are protected from human error and cyberattacks.
Tom has invested in Bitcoin since 2013, when its value was still low. Over the years, the value of his digital wallet has grown to millions of dollars. But without storage, the funds are trapped in the digital world with no way to retrieve them.
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